nsx

And yet American and Delta essentially conceded the first half of the assertion by grandfathering their lifetime members. If the airlines didn't state that entry was available at all times, that's only because it was obvious to all.

I'm going to change my profile to list United Club Lietime member.

Our best hope may be new leadership at United.

gmt4

Except that was literally the policy before they changed it. Literally.

Thus, memberships sold before the policy was changed were sold under that guise.

Xyzzy

Let's see -- no more showers, no more conference rooms... One can value what we've won and lost, but United stated clearly in the terms that they could change club amenities. What we're arguing about here is that they have limited access to the club. That's very different and it's something that is entirely under United's control (unlike, for example, gate passes for entry which the TSA was said to be unhappy abut.

HNLbasedFlyer

Policies, or terms and conditions, change all the time. They can open clubs - close clubs - change offerings - improve things - downgrade things - they used to have conference rooms - no more - you used to be able to enter without a plane ticket - no more. Quite frankly, they could close every club - then what? They could build super clubs at hubs with an enhanced membership - then what? See where I am going.

Times change. Terms change. Not a single person has produced terms that say over the lifetime you will be able to enter a club at anytime you want regardless of circumstances - and those terms will never change.

Mikey

Exactly! United has management that cheats customers and steals from Customers.

HNLbasedFlyer

And here is the irony - the people complaining on here aren't flying United anyway (or, it seems rarely) - so it isn't like they are missing them.

gmt4

And I'll refer you right back to my quote...

But the most bizarre part of this is the consistent defense of a rather indefensible, utterly dishonest action by the airline which that is wholly inconsistent with that of their competitors. Most people on here argue in favor of positive customer service and holding the airline accountable.

Mikey

United has really cut back their service out of seattle. That's not my fault and it's not my problem. I purchased something and they took it back. It's pretty simple.

Suppose you bought a tesla. Then a few years later Tesla said you weren't allowed to drive it unless you were going to stop at a Tesla dealer and spend more money. I suppose you'd be okay with that.

nsx

A better analogy would be that you have to buy a software subscription to drive your Tesla. It's not that software has no value. It does. It's just that the continuing purchase requirement it wasn't part of the original deal.

HNLbasedFlyer

You buy a Tesla and own it. It is yours - I can do whatever I want to it. Tesla can't revoke my ownership.

One does not own a UA a lifetime membership - you can't sell it or do whatever you want with it. Membership's can be revoked by United.

If Tesla licensed the car to me and could change terms and conditions to operate the vehicle - then I wouldn't buy it.

nsx

I will never invest in lifetime anything from United. Fool me once...

seacarl

That is the crux. People here may not remember or may not care. But UA, long before the CO merger, was once the #1 carrier at SEA. UA's first Asia service was SEA-NRT and SEA-HKG. Long before they bought routes from PA. Nonstop service to places like ANC HNL SAN SMF SJC MCI as well as the hubs. UA occupied the entire Notth satellite. UA decline in SEA seemed to really start with the pilot strike in 2000 which hurt the airline a lot. And while it's going off-topic, I suspect that SEA could have operated as a relief/alternate Pacific hub for UA if they'd maintained their lead in SEA - it's geographically favorable and less weather-prone than SFO- that's why DL has put their Pacific hub here. And the demographics are here, why else did we get CX SQ QR TK EK BR CI all operating here. (Not to overlook JL NH OZ KE... and Hainan and Xiamen?)

As to the lifetime membership, it would be easy for UA to exempt lifetime members from the flight requirement. People on annual memberships can expect these kinds of terms to change on renewals. There isn't the same opt-out for lifetime. And saying that you benefited for 28 years is irrelevant. It's a lifetime membership, not a 30 year membership. And the odds are some of us die, and the rest get to keep enjoying the benefits. And it's not a question of damages, but performance.

I would fly UA more if they were more competitive. And I hope that my international comes back. But the club membership isn't dependent on flights or paid for by flights.

Mikey

That's why I need my original terms and conditions. As I recall there was no option for Continental (the seller of the membership at the time) to change that term of the membership. I remember looking into that. United bought Continental and assumed the membership with the terms it had in force. Then they decided to say "who cares about what is right and what the terms were, we are greedy and want to screw you even though it costs us very little to serve the ever dwindling lot of lifers"

Bad on me for losing the original paperwork. But even more bad on United for not abiding by the terms upon which that membership was based.

And by the way there are some lifers who have been grandfathered in - because they had the terms and conditions paperwork and brought that to United's attention.

Xyzzy

I never got "original paperwork." I bought my membership on the Continental web site. I'm not sure what arrived with my membership card, but it certainly didn't include the fine print I agreed t that was displayed on the web site at purchase time. And I don't think anyone's come up with the paperwork. IIRC one person has an agreement from one club to let him in regardless of what airline ticket he holds.

FWIW, looking through a lot of old email I did come up with this gem that appeared in a lot of email I received from Continental: "Presidents Club members can now utilize conference room facilities even if not traveling that day. Stop by any location or call the Presidents Club at 1-800-322-2640 for details."

HNLbasedFlyer

Here is the thing - this is going on 3 years.

If it bothers people that much - and it seems that it does - then get a checkbook out - get a lawyer - and sue. You don't need a class action.

Internet posts will not get the desired results.

I think the lesson learned - don't buy anything lifetime. It rarely works out.